Hey Guys!

I'm so excited to be posting the first chapter of my revision! There is more to come soon :)

This story takes place after GG3, in place of the next book as like an alternative next book of sorts!

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, just some of the story elements.***

Chapter 1: Code Black

"I am pleased to see that all of you have arrived back at Gallagher, safe and sound…" My mother's voice rang through the grand hall. She stood tall and elegant, her hazel hair swept to the side and eyes bright as she surveyed the girls sitting in front of her, watching her with awe. As I looked at her through their eyes, she was the perfect Gallagher Girl. Everything you could want to become. Poised, beautiful, lethal. And I guess that's why she was the Principle.

But, as I looked through her with my eyes. I could see the dark circles, the exhaustion that followed her like a ghost. Anyone that could see her past, wouldn't envy her. If they knew she lost her partner, her husband, my father, so young.

But only the things you can see seem to matter.

I don't say that in a bad way… I actually like it that way. I've prided myself on it, in fact.

That's why I'm the Chameleon. The first time I went on a CoveOps assignment, well, that's when I knew I was in the right industry.

I was born to blend in.

And in the Spy world, that's exactly what I want. Exactly why every agent tells me I have a big future ahead of me.

That is also why it is so hard to understand why one of the most wanted criminal groups (as far as we've figured out) wants to kidnap me. Me! Of all people.

Macey made sense. Macey McHenry, Daughter of Senator, now Vice President McHenry, and Cynthia McHenry, Philanthropist and Business Icon. And finally, relative of Gillian Gallagher, the first Gallagher girl. She would make for a good ransom, and a good recruit. She has everything there is to offer.

And, honestly. I liked it that way. I liked it better when we thought they were after Macey. I could protect her. But since that day in the ally, well, let's just say nothing has been the same.

I thought about it all break. All alone in the castle, in London with Bex. I don't know if you've ever been wanted by a secret organization, but when you are, it's all you can think about, trust me. (The only other thing that seemed to compare was a certain mysterious blackthorn Boy.)

The first thing Bex and I did in London was toss out all the reasons they wouldn't want me:

I don't have money (at least not in the way Macey does). I don't have secrets (at least not any high-level criminal organization would want, and if you have high enough clearance you probably know the ones I'm talking about.) I can't hack like Liz. I'm not pretty like Bex (Apparently I'm crazy for saying this, but we'd be bad spies not to consider it)—you know just in case they wanted to use me as a face for their organization.

Then, Bex suggested maybe they wanted to recruit me? You are The Chameleon, after all, she said. The invisible girl. But one phone call with Liz and we crossed it out. According to all public (and private) records, they have no history of absolutely anything like that in the past.

But I doubted the Circled would ever leave a trace. They're too good for that.

Everything we thought of just didn't feel right… Until it came to me.

You know that moment in time when an idea just feels right? Like when you place the final puzzle piece or have the perfect ah-ha moment about how to convince Saudi Arabia not to go to war with Egypt in your final research paper for Countries of the World?

Well, that's how it felt when the thought popped into my mind…

What if whatever was happening to me was related to my dad?

It was a gut feeling… and once I thought it, I couldn't go back. Everything clicked into place…theories running through my mind all the time.

But I had been afraid of telling Bex, Macey or Liz… Afraid they'd just look at me like a girl who hoped for the impossible…

I watch my three best friends in the whole world (also some of my only friends) Bex Baxter, Macey McHenry (yes that Macey McHenry), and Liz Sutton watch as my mother concludes her speech about precautions we'll be taking this year. Nothing I haven't already heard. Being here a week early has its perks.

Bex with her perfect posture and radiating confidence was soaking in the usual first-day speech. She was absolutely beautiful, with her cappuccino colored skin, flawless face, and long, shiny brown hair. Egyptian Goddess, we once heard the boys call her. She was the first non-U.S. citizen Gallagher girl in history. She likes to be the best. At everything.

Macey was an unexpected addition to our group, but now I can't imagine it any other way. Sometimes I think about the first day I met her, and laugh at how things have changed. She is the Vice President's daughter, the girl who is featured on the cover of Vogue Magazines, with her long black hair, tan skin, and face that is manicured to perfection. The girl who should be my opposite according to everyone. But, she is the only one who understands why this place is home. This last year changed everything for us.

Liz sat on the other side of her, watching my mother intently. Her fingers constantly moving, as if she was thinking about the next code to hack into the pentagon or permanently programmed to type everything she thought. A genius is what she is. But also the sweet southern hospitality we needed. It only makes sense that she was in the Research and Development Track, and not CoveOps. I swear one day she will take over the world.

Bex turned to us, a grin plastered on her face, the volume in the grand hall slowly increasing, as girls turn to their peers and catch up, and said, "I have some crazy things to tell you guys… But not here."

I couldn't be sure which crazy thing she was referring to.

"Did you guys find anything?" I asked Liz and Macey.

"No." Macey groaned. "My parents didn't let me leave the house, the whole summer."

"That hardly sounds like a bad thing," Bex said, referring to the fact that Macey's house was bigger than the white house, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Trust me, if you were stuck there with my mother, you'd feel the same way."

"Liz?" I asked.

She looked at us with wide eyes, then started in a rushed whisper. "A lot, actually. Something you said that day we talked made me think of… I'm not sure exactly how to break through a few of their walls—There's so many of them—but I've been waiting to ask Dr. Fibbs." She paused as Dr. Smith walked by, then continued when he was a few feet away. "and as soon as I can I'll find out more."

I wondered what they'd think of my new theory. If it was anything close to what Liz or Bex were talking about.

As I glanced up at my mother as she took a seat next to Joe Solomon I couldn't help but remember the mysterious, annoying guy that left me last semester with nothing but a note that read "Have fun in London."

I mean, I did have lots of fun in London, but that's not the point. The point is that we tried tracking him down a million times, but it's like he just disappeared of the face of the planet. Even Liz and her super-skilled-spy-computer couldn't find a trace of him. He was just so confusing and I was afraid I would never figure out the difficult puzzle that is Zachary Goode.

"Uh….? Cammie?" Macey said, placing a hand on my shoulder. I turned back to find all three of them staring at me.

"What did you say?" I said, grinning sheepishly.

She huffed at me. "First day back and you're already daydreaming about Solomon? I thought you were better than that."

"I wasn't! But would that be so bad?" I laughed (Because even I have to admit he is daydreaming worthy.)

She grinned mischievously, "I was just asking if you found out anything after your trip to London."

Like did I hear anything?

Unfortunately, no. I tried… but my mother works on a strictly need to know basis, and I guess I am not "need to know."

But I did have my theories.

"Possibly…But we can't talk about it here."

A silence strung across them. I think we all, at that moment, knew big things were coming, but we had to wait until we were in our room, alone, when we had done our routine bug sweeps before we could really talk.

"Agreed." Bex nodded. "So for now let's eat." She snatched a jelly biscuit off the plate in front of her and took a bite. As if the food suddenly appeared in front of me, and my stomach suddenly remembered that it liked eating as it roared for me to eat. And so I grabbed my own food and tried to join back into the usual table talk. Tina making her usual claims about the big gossip that happened, and the cool people she got to meet—most of which were less than believable—but the stories were still nice. Anna actually even had a sexy fling with a boy she claimed was an undercover agent (didn't see that one coming, I must admit).

Bex on the other hand, had the whole junior table's attention by the end of her first story. One that was slightly (okay, majorly) embellished, but I just listened and enjoyed hearing this new, cool version of me that was featured in her story.

Everything was how it should have been until the lights went grey. A few girls screamed before a red light flashed, and an ugly robotic voice echoed, "CODE BLACK. CODE BLACK."

Our relaxing first-day dinner was lost in an instant. Someone or something was within our walls that shouldn't be. Girls stood ready to prepare for what was happening; 7th and 8th graders were frantic, looking around, some yelling and screaming.

I looked around, surveying. My instincts caught me, had me look back over. "Where's Liz?" I asked franticly. She was just there, I could have sworn. But, where she once sat was now empty. I would have swore if that's what I did.

Instead, I turned to Macey and Bex, both looking as concerned as I felt.

"She went to the bathroom," Macey yelled over the roar of the siren. And that scared me half to death. Liz couldn't be out there all alone. She wouldn't stand a chance if she crossed who or what had breached our walls. I searched the room but didn't spot her amongst the chaos. The metal covers started sliding down the doors and windows and I knew what I needed to do. I leaped up, and ran across the room, over a table and slid under the metal slate right before it slammed shut, rumbling the floor beneath me, sealing me out, and everyone else who could help me in. No going back now.

The long hall was quiet except for the siren. A small bit of light streamed from the highest window on the front wall which was covered with bars instead of a metal plate, a part of the antique version of the Gallagher Academy.

I stayed close to the wall as I sprinted to the girl's bathroom, my shoes silent under the blare of the siren. I channeled every part of my Chameleon and hoped that whoever was here would not notice me.

The bathroom door stood tall in front of me, the door swung open to reveal the normally elegant bathroom cast in greys and shadows.

"Liz!" I whispered, yelled, frantically stooping on all floors to see under the stalls.

No feet.

"CODE BLACK." Screeched along with a flash of red.

She had to be in a different bathroom.

I turned and as quietly as I could slide out the door, checked to see if I was clear, then found the tunnel that led to the dormitories. I sprinted as fast as I could and moments later emerged from behind the fireplace, the coast thankfully clear, and I continued towards the commons. Nothing. No-one.

I ran to our bedroom… and quietly pushed the door open, hoping to see Liz sitting on her bed. Instead, clothes were streamed everywhere. Our beds torn apart. Pictures pulled from the walls.

My heart skipped a beat.

A good spy always expects the unexpected…But at that moment I did not expect a man, thick, and dressed in all black to be at my dresser, rooting through my stuff, in my room.

He had to be at least 6'2" and had a firm but hunched build. He favored his left leg and didn't seem to notice me at first. He was too busy searching—looking for something, something he hoped was in our room? I prayed it would keep him busy enough that he didn't hear the door.

He glanced towards me, eyes widening behind the black mask, then narrowing.

He lunged for me faster than I could prepare. I managed to side steps and grabbed his wrist to try to shift his momentum against him.

But, he was good. He shifted into it, grabbed my other wrist, and pulled me into the room, slamming the door behind me.

A line of panic raced through my back… fear that he would be as good or better than the people I fought last time… I looked for potential escape thoughts as we watched each other…

"You're not supposed to be here." He said, crunching his knuckles. His voice deep, but scratchy. It sent shivers down my back, and I fought the emotions that swirled in my stomach. Now was not the time for thinking. The red light illuminated around us every few seconds.

"Cameron Morgan, right? This could make my job really easy."

"Who are you." I grit out. His words confirmed what I feared… I lashed out with a punch, but he easily stepped out. I briefly wondered if my mother and friends were still locked in the Grand hall and if I'd still be here when they got out?

Nothing bad was going to happen to me… I would be here.

I tried again and managed to knock him slightly, but he fired back. A sharp blow to my face then a firm grabbing my arm. His skin was fire against mine, the pressure so strong I felt like my bones would break. Where was his weak point, Solomon said there was always a weak point—success! I slid from his grip then swung the hardest punch I had, before he plowed me onto the floor, a shoot of pain arching across my face as his head made contact. I couldn't help the groan that escaped my lips. Objects and clothes padded our fall as I struggled to get atop. A moment later his weight knocked the breath from my lungs and he was coming at me with a familiar white patch.

No, no, no. I would not be knocked out.

I held his hands tight, struggling, fighting for leverage. My leg pulled loose enough to push my hips up and push him up, up and over, rolling me onto him. I pushed the patch from his hands, then scrambled off him. He was on his feet in seconds, his eyes blazing, like a man who wouldn't be beaten by a girl. He punched, I dodged, then the next thing I knew I flew through the air, slamming into the open dresser, pain erupting across my back. The floor welcomed me as I crumbled down.

He made for the open window.

He can't get away, I thought, pushing myself off the ground, I ran after him pushed him, he stumbled into Liz's dresser, then scrambled through the window and was gone.

A Cool breeze hit me as I looked down, breathing hard, and saw the man scrambling down the wall with a rope before he jumped down and ran through an opening in the forest.

I leaned against the wall and took a moment to breathe, checking to be sure no one else was there.

The room was destroyed and the adrenaline was evaporating, leaving my back aching and fear wrapping its subtle arms around me. I ran my hands over my face, then stopped short at the burn in my back. "Crap," I muttered.

Carefully, I made my way to the bathroom and lifted my shirt. A bleeding scratch ripped across my back, surrounded by already bruising flesh. The air seemed thin around me.

Now see here, although I have been slowly gaining experience fighting real people, this guy was so good. Better than anyone I've fought. It felt like he knew my every move, my every thought.

I limped my way through the hall, then down the stairs only to find my mother followed by Bex, Macey, Liz racing toward me. My heart jumped in relief, seeing Liz, safe. Then wants to fall in my mom's arms.

"Cam!" My mom said, rushing me. "What happened? Are you okay?" She paused and searched my face.

The CODE BLACK died down, and the lights filled the rooms a second later.

"I'm okay." I breathed, trying not to show how much my back actually ached, and my head pounded. "I went looking for Liz, but couldn't find her…" I flicked my eyes to her, then back to my mom. "There was a man in our room…searching our stuff. We fought… but he got away." I said.

"Good." She nodded and surveyed me one last time before taking a step back. "Bex, I need you to take Cammie to the infirmary, then back to my office. Stay there until I arrive." She flipped and walked back to the room, where girls were now streaming from, quiet and nervous.

Bex rushed to me first. "Bloody Hell Cammie, what were you doing?"

"I was thinking…" I looked to Bex, then Liz, and back to Bex. "I wasn't thinking... I was just worried for Liz…"

"I'm sorry Cammie! I was in the bathroom… But then I came back through the other door to talk to Dr. Fibbs right before the alarms turned on."

"We found her right after you left," Macey added.

I tried to smile, but it came out more as a grimaced. "That's good." They seemed to notice my brittle state because Bex said.

"Let's get to the infirmary."

I was glad they didn't ask anything else.

The air in the room seemed to grow thick as my mother walked in followed by Joe Solomon, Professor Buckingham, and Dr. Smith. The last conversation I'd had with Professor Buckingham stood clear in my mind. She was a woman that owed me information. Maybe it was about time I got it.

They settled in the back of the room as my mother found her seat and turned to me. "I need you to tell me exactly what happened. No detail spared."

I pulled my wrist wrapped in a white bandage close, annoyed that everyone could see my injuries, then shared a look with Bex.

It was now or never… my turn for attention. I sat as tall and poised as I could and shared my experience with them, trying to make Solomon proud with the details I shared, like the fact that he favored his left leg, he had squinty eyes, and a full build, but not as full as he looked…. Like he was wearing a really padded sweatshirt. How the room was wrecked when I got there, but how he was going through my dresser, digging through the third drawer down where I kept my pajamas. (I left out the fact that he was sorting through my embarrassing cheetah print pajamas from Grandma Morgan. A girl can only take so much embarrassment in one day.)

When I finished, a look passed between my mom and Solomon. A look that did not go unnoticed. The whole world seemed to settle on her shoulders.

"What do we do next?" I asked. Looking between the adults in the room, feeling the elephant in the room that nobody wanted to talk about. My mom between at me and each of my roommates; the girls she has come to know as her own.

"There's nothing to be done. You four need to focus on your school."

"We can't just do nothi—" Bex complained.

"You can and you will, Rebecca." She pushed back, a new edge entering her voice like she was trying hard to hide her feelings.

I wished at that moment that I could just talk with her alone. Mother to daughter instead of student to principal.

"We have been expecting something like this to happen… But we didn't think it would be this soon. We've considered.. taking more precautions before…" She looked to Joe, and I followed her gaze trying to pick out what they were thinking. "But I think it's finally time we implemented them. There is too much at stake." She looked at me when she said that, and I knew what she really meant was I can't lose you, too. "We… we are going to send you to a secure location where you will continue your education."

"Where?" I asked, the options already shooting across my mind.

"Blackthorne Institute for Boys."

At that, my roommates and I looked at each other knowing everything was about to change.

"You leave tonight."

Ahh the suspense! Let me know what you think! Also, if there's anything you'd like to request in upcoming chapters, put it in the comments below! xoxo, BrooklynBridge